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2 CHAPTER 2: EVIDENCE FROM THE PAST Terms to Knowpetroglyph—a rock carving made by peopleelder—an older member of a community who is respected for his or her knowledge and wisdomarchaeologist—a scientist who studies past human life and activities by examining physical evidence such as tools, fire pits, and ruins from dwellingsperspective—the way a person sees and understands the world; based on education, culture, time period, and homeoral history—the purposeful retelling of stories about the past events and legends of a group in order to teach about that group’s cultureartifact—any object made, used or altered by humansscientific method—a process using experiments and careful observation to test ideas and theorieshypothesis—an assumption, educated guess, or theory

3 IntroductionGlaciers have covered the Midwest, Minnesota, and Canada many times.As glaciers moved, they created the landscape, left behind water to make lakes and rivers, hills and mountains, and form rocks.Humans started living in Minnesota 12,000 years ago7,000 years ago—started leaving marks at Jeffers

4 Messages From the PastJeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site—important collection of ancient rock carvingsPetroglyphs can tell us about the people who made the carvings, how they lived, and what they may have believed.Carvings—some we recognize, some we don’tAmerican Indian elders—Jeffers=sacredArchaeologists—Jeffers=important info on people, time and place

5 One Way of Knowing: Oral HistoryNative Americans keep history aliveOral History StoriesHappened long time agoTeach lessonsExplain why things areFutureDon’t know who made carvings at JeffersMany people from various groups could have left themExplorers, traders, Mandan, Iowa, Ottowa, Omaha, Hidatsa, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Winnebago, DakotaOral histories of different tribes may help interpret

6 Oral History Interpretation of ‘The Hand’FriendshipHandshakeLeaving a sign of peaceGriefWipe tears with palmsBurial ground?Death‘The Hand’ constellation—when they passed away, they would go through the constellation on a spirit journey

7 Another Way of Knowing: ArchaeologyJeffers PetroglyphsWho made the carvings? Where did the people who made them come from?Use different methods to find the answersComparingExperiments—using scientific methodScientific Method:Ask a QuestionState a HypothesisPerform ExperimentRecord FindingsReach a Conclusion

8 Learning From Each OtherArchaeologists can use elders’ oral historiesElders can use archaeologists’ to find information about their historiesDon’t always agreeAgree: Jeffers Petroglyphs show that people have lived in Minnesota for a very long time

9 The Government Protects Burial MoundsMN has several burial mounds (1,500-2,000 yrs old)As MN was settled many burial mounds were found and thousands were destroyed (25,000 to 5,000)Laws passedProtect human burials (1979)Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation ActReturn American Indian items to descendantsHuman remains, sacred items